{"id":4218,"date":"2026-06-05T06:07:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T06:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/?p=4218"},"modified":"2026-06-05T06:07:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T06:07:19","slug":"how-chatgpt-can-help-visually-impaired-individuals-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/05\/how-chatgpt-can-help-visually-impaired-individuals-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How ChatGPT Can Help Visually Impaired Individuals?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

abstract:<\/h1>\n

How ChatGPT Can Help Visually Impaired Individuals?<\/h1>\n
Kadir Uludag* , Min Zhao<\/em><\/div>\n
Shanghai Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
* Corresponding author. Email: kadiruludag@mails.ucas.ac.cn.
Manuscript submitted April 20, 2023;\u00a0 accepted May 22, 2023; published March 29, 2023.
Abstract: <\/strong>Background: Visually impaired individuals face significant challenges in accessing information that can limit their educational, economic, and social opportunities. Technologies such as screen readers can help, but they may not be suitable for everyone. Chatbots offer a promising alternative, as they can provide personalized information and support them socially. Goal of Study: We aimed to discuss how ChatGPT can help visually impaired individuals. Methods: We conducted a review study to evaluate the effectiveness of ChatGPT as a practical tool for visually impaired individuals. The first version of the ChatGPT was used. Also, ChatGPT has answered several relevant questions. Results: ChatGPT was highly influential in creating accurate responses to user input and can help visually impaired individuals. Furthermore, ChatGPT can help blind people think about visual scenarios since ChatGPT can describe visual plans quickly. It can support them socially and emotionally. Conclusion: ChatGPT has the potential to help visually impaired individuals access information more effectively. Future studies should investigate how ChatGPT can help visually impaired individuals.

Key words:\u00a0<\/strong>ChatGPT, visually impaired individuals, chatbots, artificial intelligence, blindness.<\/div>\n
Commentary on paper, related information:\u00a0<\/div>\n
how chatbots can be used to improve daily life of visually impaired?<\/div>\n
\n

## How Chatbots Can Improve Daily Life of Visually Impaired Individuals<\/p>\n

Chatbots powered by large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini offer **practical, conversational assistance** that goes far beyond traditional screen readers. Below is a structured overview of their daily-life applications, followed by practical considerations.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

### Core Daily Functions<\/p>\n

| Daily Need | How a Chatbot Helps | Example Interaction |
|————|———————|———————-|
| **Reading printed text** | Extract text from a photo (medicine bottle, receipt, menu) and read it aloud. | *User uploads photo of a prescription label. Chatbot: \u201cThe label says: \u2018Take one tablet daily with food. Expires 12\/2025.\u2019\u201d* |
| **Describing surroundings** | Interpret a room, street scene, or object from an image. | *\u201cDescribe this photo.\u201d \u2013 \u201cA white cat sitting on a blue sofa next to a green plant.\u201d* |
| **Navigating indoors** | Explain spatial layout from a photo of a sign or room. | *\u201cI see a door on the left, a staircase straight ahead, and a fire extinguisher on the right wall.\u201d* |
| **Using public transport** | Read bus\/train schedules, platform numbers, or transfer instructions. | *User shows photo of a timetable. Chatbot: \u201cThe next bus to City Center is at 10:15 AM from platform 2.\u201d* |
| **Shopping & product info** | Identify products, read ingredients, check prices, or compare items. | *\u201cWhich of these two cereal boxes has less sugar?\u201d (uploads both images).* |
| **Learning & work** | Summarise documents, explain diagrams, convert math to spoken format. | *\u201cThis graph shows sales increasing from January to March, then a drop in April.\u201d* |
| **Social media access** | Describe memes, interpret emojis, read comments aloud. | *\u201cThe meme shows a confused dog with the text: \u2018I have no idea what I\u2019m doing.\u2019\u201d* |
| **Household tasks** | Read appliance settings, explain how to use a device, set voice reminders. | *\u201cWhat do the symbols on my microwave keypad mean?\u201d \u2013 detailed explanation.* |<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

### How Chatbots Outperform Traditional Assistive Tech<\/p>\n

| Feature | Traditional Screen Readers \/ OCR | LLM\u2011Based Chatbots |
|———|——————————–|———————|
| **Natural conversation** | Fixed commands | Ask anything in plain language |
| **Context understanding** | No (reads only what\u2019s selected) | Yes \u2013 can infer meaning from surrounding text or image |
| **Image description** | Limited or none | Detailed, contextual descriptions |
| **Answering follow\u2011ups** | No | Yes \u2013 \u201cWhat color is the cat?\u201d \u2192 \u201cOrange.\u201d |
| **Summarisation** | No | Yes \u2013 \u201cGive me the key points of this 10\u2011page PDF.\u201d |
| **Error correction** | No | User can say \u201cThat\u2019s wrong \u2013 read again.\u201d |<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

### Practical Setup for Daily Use<\/p>\n

Visually impaired users can access chatbots via:<\/p>\n

1. **Smartphone apps** (ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) with built\u2011in voice input (speech\u2011to\u2011text) and screen reader (TalkBack, VoiceOver) for output.
2. **Smart speakers** (Amazon Echo, Google Nest) that integrate with chatbot APIs \u2013 hands\u2011free voice only.
3. **Wearable cameras** (e.g., Envision Glasses, OrCam) connected to LLM backends \u2013 describe continuously.
4. **Custom shortcuts** \u2013 use voice commands like *\u201cHey Siri, ask ChatGPT to describe what I\u2019m pointing my phone at.\u201d*<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

### Key Limitations to Be Aware Of<\/p>\n

| Limitation | Impact & Mitigation |
|————|———————-|
| **Hallucinations** (describing things that aren\u2019t there) | **High risk** for navigation or medical info. Always cross\u2011check critical info with another source. |
| **Privacy** \u2013 uploading photos of home, mail, or documents | Avoid sharing sensitive personal data (passports, bank statements). Use offline or on\u2011device models when possible. |
| **Internet required** | No offline mode for most LLMs. Plan ahead \u2013 download maps or text offline. |
| **Latency** (3\u201310 seconds per response) | Not suitable for real\u2011time mobility (e.g., crossing a street). Use specialised apps for that. |
| **No spatial awareness** | Can\u2019t tell distance, speed, or direction unless explicitly described in the image. |
| **Cost** \u2013 advanced models (GPT\u20114V) may require a subscription | Free tiers (GPT\u20113.5, Gemini Pro) are often sufficient for basic tasks. |<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

### Real\u2011World Example Scenario<\/p>\n

> **Morning routine**: A visually impaired person wakes up. They point their phone at a box of tea. Chatbot: *\u201cEnglish Breakfast tea. Instructions: steep for 3 minutes in boiling water.\u201d* Then they point at a calendar on the wall: *\u201cToday\u2019s entry: Doctor\u2019s appointment at 10:30 AM, 221 Main Street.\u201d* They ask: *\u201cWhat\u2019s the weather like?\u201d* Chatbot (if integrated with web search): *\u201cSunny, 18\u00b0C. No rain expected.\u201d* Finally, they upload a photo of a bus stop sign: *\u201cRoute 42 to downtown arrives in 5 minutes.\u201d*<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

### How to Expand This Topic (Further Reading Ideas)<\/p>\n

If you want to develop this into a full article, paper, or guide, consider these angles:<\/p>\n

1. **Comparative study** \u2013 Test ChatGPT vs. Seeing AI vs. human assistant on 20 daily tasks.
2. **User\u2011centered design** \u2013 Interview 10 visually impaired users to learn what features they need most.
3. **Safety protocol** \u2013 Design a chatbot that explicitly says *\u201cI\u2019m uncertain\u201d* or *\u201cPlease verify with someone sighted\u201d* for high\u2011stakes tasks.
4. **Offline LLMs** \u2013 Evaluate small models (Llama 3, Phi\u20113) that run entirely on a phone without internet.
5. **Voice\u2011first interface optimisation** \u2013 Reduce conversation turns and memory load.
6. **Integration with navigation aids** \u2013 Combine chatbot object description with GPS or LiDAR for safer mobility.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

### Conclusion<\/p>\n

Chatbots dramatically expand what visually impaired individuals can do independently \u2013 from reading fine print to understanding visual scenes. However, they are **a supplement, not a replacement**, for traditional assistive tech and human help. Used wisely, they improve confidence, reduce reliance on others, and make everyday information accessible.<\/p>\n

> **Bottom line**: A chatbot in your pocket is like having a sighted friend who is always patient, but occasionally makes mistakes \u2013 so verify critical information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


Cite: Kadir Uludag, Min Zhao, “How ChatGPT Can Help Visually Impaired Individuals?,” Journal of Advances in Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 49-56, 2023. doi: 10.18178\/JAAI.2023.1.1.49-56

https:\/\/www.jaai.net\/content-172-14-1.html<\/a><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

abstract: How ChatGPT Can Help Visually Impaired Individuals? Kadir Uludag* , Min Zhao Shanghai Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.* Corresponding author. Email: kadiruludag@mails.ucas.ac.cn.Manuscript submitted April 20, 2023;\u00a0 accepted May 22, 2023; published March 29, Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4218"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4218\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4219,"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4218\/revisions\/4219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ifx0.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}